Comments on: Editor Sally Williamson Makes “The Call” to Writing Competition Winner http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:42:37 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Lynn Raye Harris http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12811 Lynn Raye Harris Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:14:57 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12811 Hey, y'all, don't be too upset. Remember, it took me 15 years because, like a big dummy, I quit for 8 of those years while I went back to school and did other things. So don't worry, you'll get there much quicker than I did! From the time I started writing seriously again to now is 4 years -- so that sounds better doesn't it? Enjoy the process, enjoy your characters, and keep learning all you can. You can only fail if you give up. :) Hey, y’all, don’t be too upset. Remember, it took me 15 years because, like a big dummy, I quit for 8 of those years while I went back to school and did other things. So don’t worry, you’ll get there much quicker than I did! From the time I started writing seriously again to now is 4 years — so that sounds better doesn’t it?

Enjoy the process, enjoy your characters, and keep learning all you can. You can only fail if you give up. :)

]]> By: susieq http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12747 susieq Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:11:00 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12747 Thanks Mulberry, trying not to feel a bit down having read Lynne's great first chapter.......sigh............only fourteen years to go...... Susieq Thanks Mulberry, trying not to feel a bit down having read Lynne’s great first chapter…….sigh…………only fourteen years to go……

Susieq

]]> By: mulberry http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12710 mulberry Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:16:31 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12710 Good luck with the entry Susieq- it sounds as if you definitely have the determination it takes to make it.It's a good thing we all love writing for its own sake too- Lynne Raye's fifteen year journey is an amazing triumph! Good luck with the entry Susieq- it sounds as if you definitely have the determination it takes to make it.It’s a good thing we all love writing for its own sake too- Lynne Raye’s fifteen year journey is an amazing triumph!

]]> By: susieq http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12444 susieq Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:11:00 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12444 Nikki & Robyn, Thanks so much for your kind comments. I'm not sure how organised I was though.....sprinting to the post office at 5 to 5 to make sure the entry had the right postdate on it! To date the main source of support for my writing exploits has been my four year old son. When I finished my first full manuscript (last month) he heard me talking to a friend about it, ran into the room with his arms open and then said (very seriously) "Mummy I'm so proud of you." That's was all I needed to return to the computer and start editing! The support on these boards since the competition has been great.....let's make it stay that way! Susieq Nikki & Robyn,

Thanks so much for your kind comments. I’m not sure how organised I was though…..sprinting to the post office at 5 to 5 to make sure the entry had the right postdate on it!

To date the main source of support for my writing exploits has been my four year old son. When I finished my first full manuscript (last month) he heard me talking to a friend about it, ran into the room with his arms open and then said (very seriously) “Mummy I’m so proud of you.” That’s was all I needed to return to the computer and start editing!

The support on these boards since the competition has been great…..let’s make it stay that way!

Susieq

]]> By: emerald http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12407 emerald Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:04:11 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12407 Hi Susie, Like Nikki, the world (or shall I just be honest and say school holidays) conspired against me entering the Valerie Parv Award this year. Even my usually reliable time slot of midnight to 3am :) had to be reallocated to well, sleep. Go figure! So, I think the fact that you were organised enough to enter is a major achievement. It might be your year, and at the very least you've got a bunch of helpful comments headed your way and a lovely two-month deadline to work against. Hmmmn... what can you get done in two months if you write everyday? Best of luck, Robyn Hi Susie,

Like Nikki, the world (or shall I just be honest and say school holidays) conspired against me entering the Valerie Parv Award this year. Even my usually reliable time slot of midnight to 3am :) had to be reallocated to well, sleep. Go figure!

So, I think the fact that you were organised enough to enter is a major achievement. It might be your year, and at the very least you’ve got a bunch of helpful comments headed your way and a lovely two-month deadline to work against. Hmmmn… what can you get done in two months if you write everyday? Best of luck,

Robyn

]]> By: Nikki http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12404 Nikki Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:30:39 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12404 Hi Susie! I love your post! I applaud you for getting your entry completed for the Valerie Parv Award! I didn’t manage to get mine finished on time because the universe conspired against me and won LOL! So I’ll be there next year (conspiracy or not:) ). I love Valerie’s books, so much so that I’m trying to track down ever single one she’s written. It’s amazing that she gives up her time to mentor some lucky person each year, and you know what? It could be you! Don't give up, write every day and be lucky! I love that, I've printed it out and stuck in on the wall beside my computer :). Sending out best wishes and luck with your entry, Nikki. Hi Susie!

I love your post! I applaud you for getting your entry completed for the Valerie Parv Award! I didn’t manage to get mine finished on time because the universe conspired against me and won LOL! So I’ll be there next year (conspiracy or not:) ).

I love Valerie’s books, so much so that I’m trying to track down ever single one she’s written. It’s amazing that she gives up her time to mentor some lucky person each year, and you know what? It could be you!

Don’t give up, write every day and be lucky! I love that, I’ve printed it out and stuck in on the wall beside my computer :) .

Sending out best wishes and luck with your entry,

Nikki.

]]> By: susieq http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12303 susieq Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:29:55 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12303 Hi Nikki, I just raced madly today to get my entry completed for the Valerie Parv award with the Romantic Writers of Australia. And you know what. I know I won't win but I still got a great sense of achievement that I had actually put together another entry and posted it. Last year I would have just read about the competition and wondered about the sort of people who do enter. Reading the call stories does make you realise that authors are normal people........not super heroes....but talented, dedicated and persistent people who don't give up. So if I don't give up and write every day..........and with that little bit of luck..... Susie Hi Nikki,

I just raced madly today to get my entry completed for the Valerie Parv award with the Romantic Writers of Australia. And you know what. I know I won’t win but I still got a great sense of achievement that I had actually put together another entry and posted it.

Last year I would have just read about the competition and wondered about the sort of people who do enter. Reading the call stories does make you realise that authors are normal people……..not super heroes….but talented, dedicated and persistent people who don’t give up.

So if I don’t give up and write every day……….and with that little bit of luck…..

Susie

]]> By: Nikki http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12234 Nikki Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:31:34 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12234 Hi Susie! I just love your idea of setting a goal for when competition results come out. It’s so much nicer to have a feeling of achievement then being disappointed :) I hope you don’t mind if I borrow it too. Thanks so much for sharing, Nikki Hi Susie! I just love your idea of setting a goal for when competition results come out. It’s so much nicer to have a feeling of achievement then being disappointed :) I hope you don’t mind if I borrow it too.

Thanks so much for sharing,

Nikki

]]> By: Nikki http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12233 Nikki Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:31:00 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12233 Great post Sally! I was looking forward to reading Lynn’s entry but now I’m on the edge of my ergonomic seat :) I was wondering if there's a chance you will let those of us still clinging to our keyboards in hope know when all the promising entrants have been contacted? I haven’t managed to stumble across a post from one of the lucky ones yet and I was so hoping to! I’d love to know how many of those gems are out there so I can follow their journeys too. Thanks so much for your time Sally, Nikki. Great post Sally! I was looking forward to reading Lynn’s entry but now I’m on the edge of my ergonomic seat :)

I was wondering if there’s a chance you will let those of us still clinging to our keyboards in hope know when all the promising entrants have been contacted? I haven’t managed to stumble across a post from one of the lucky ones yet and I was so hoping to! I’d love to know how many of those gems are out there so I can follow their journeys too.

Thanks so much for your time Sally,

Nikki.

]]> By: Annie West http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/editor-sally-williamson-makes-the-call-to-writing-competition-winner/comment-page-1/#comment-12190 Annie West Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:02:48 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=194#comment-12190 Sally, it's great to have you here. Those phone calls (or in my case email) with good news are life changing. I think every authors remembers so much about the day they got The Call! Personally I don't find it hard to get motivated to start each new story. Usually I'm thrilled about the new book and the possibilities waiting to be explored and discovered. I love openings, even if I do have to polish mine from time to time (no comments there, please, Sally), so embarking on a new project is a great feeling. I find it's later on that I need the keep up the motivation. Setting myself deadlines works, as does regular exercise (which sadly I've missed out on for the last little while). But getting away from the book for a short time can sometimes trigger new ideas that helps me move ahead, especially if I've just finished a major intense scene and am exhausted (they do take it out of you). My favourite motivation was when a friend sent me a thank you gift of the biggest blog of Lindt chocolate I've ever seen - I didn't know they made them so big! I knew I had to control my impulse to scoff so I used it as a treat. I could only eat it when I was writing (new pages, not polishing the draft) and I could only have some after I'd written a certain number of pages. As an incentive it was brilliant. Not sure I'd have the self control to resist it a second time around but boy did I enjoy my writing! Annie Sally, it’s great to have you here. Those phone calls (or in my case email) with good news are life changing. I think every authors remembers so much about the day they got The Call!

Personally I don’t find it hard to get motivated to start each new story. Usually I’m thrilled about the new book and the possibilities waiting to be explored and discovered. I love openings, even if I do have to polish mine from time to time (no comments there, please, Sally), so embarking on a new project is a great feeling.

I find it’s later on that I need the keep up the motivation. Setting myself deadlines works, as does regular exercise (which sadly I’ve missed out on for the last little while). But getting away from the book for a short time can sometimes trigger new ideas that helps me move ahead, especially if I’ve just finished a major intense scene and am exhausted (they do take it out of you). My favourite motivation was when a friend sent me a thank you gift of the biggest blog of Lindt chocolate I’ve ever seen – I didn’t know they made them so big! I knew I had to control my impulse to scoff so I used it as a treat. I could only eat it when I was writing (new pages, not polishing the draft) and I could only have some after I’d written a certain number of pages. As an incentive it was brilliant. Not sure I’d have the self control to resist it a second time around but boy did I enjoy my writing!

Annie

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